There have been an extremely large variety of advances made in and for the various games of darts. A dart is a hand held tubular projectile having a point, that is generally designed to be thrown at a target for the purposes of scoring within circularly and radially defined impact areas on the target. A typical dart also includes an attachable shaft carrier aft of and axially oriented to the main body which generally carries guidance vanes, called flights, to help stabilize the trajectory of the thrown dart.
In most cases, the advances have been applied to an external shape of the dart. Various materials are used to create the barrel or central segment of the dart body, such as wood, brass, various amalgams, or tungsten. Into these materials are formed various shapes or patterns, designed to enhance the user""s grip or finger placement. Shapes may include dish-outs for finger placement or knurling.
Points for darts may be either xe2x80x9csoft tipxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csteel tip.xe2x80x9d The soft tip is usually of plastic, and designed to be used with an electronic scoring board. The steel tip is a hardened metallic member designed to impact a target of densely packed sissal which can accept the scoring point, so that the player can visually establish the value of the thrown dart. A steel tip dart must remain in the target during the player""s turn sequence (which may include the throw of multiple darts), to create a score. Both the electronic and sissal target boards include areas of different value separated by thin metal or plastic dividers (sometimes called xe2x80x9cspidersxe2x80x9d). If a dart directly impacts a divider, it may bounce off the target without sticking or impacting a scoring position. Prior attempts have been made to design darts which will remain in the target even if a divider is struck or, at least, create an impact reference.
In one approach, the soft tip has been formed from a composite of carbon oriented plastic so as to provide a means of flexion when it strikes the target, thereby reducing the chance of rejection by a divider. In this composite dart tip, it has been shown that if the dart tip is sharpened after deformation created by impact with an impediment, the harmonic signature of the dart is changed.
Another prior art point approach, has been to provide means to allow for the axial movement of the point within a forward containment area of the central dart body, with various controls therefor. Several approaches employ a floating point shaft contained in or by a screw-in race, one being a manually applied pinch effect of the taper of the point in an axial bore of the race, where, impact with the target releases the point so as to allow a hammer effect to drive the dart further into the target. Another approach involves an enlarged head on the axial point shaft, either being rounded or drop hammer formed in a manner called peening, with the head being constrained by a screw-in or press fitted race, or obverse placement, or by annularly placed resilient washers, or O-rings. Other approaches, rather than O-rings, have utilized axial placement of resilient strips in machined grooves to engage the shaft""s collar in an attempt to slow the impact moment; where, a variation to the O-rings employs radially inwardly projecting fingers that interact with the enlarged collar to control the impact induced moment in the containment cavity. Again, these various structures are employed in a hammering system; but, there is a failure to recognize that this approach, during initial impact with a target or divider, does not allow the linear alignment between the dart""s point and body to be altered.
Further, in several of the latter approaches, the O-rings have been placed in a subtending annular race of that enlarged shaft ending head; or, they have been placed in the orienting insert, within a radially outwardly positioned annular raceway; or, they have been placed, in combination, forwardly of that enlarged head and in the raceway. But, in these darts, it is common to find that substantial wear occurs, as the rotation of the variously placed O-rings are working against a stationary shoulder, thereby limiting the value of the point movement.
Another approach has been the usage of a spring body surmounted about a shaft positioner so as to provide an axially oriented progressive loading characteristic for impact with a scoring area. However, springs are known to lose temper due to the short compression cycle experienced by the impact of these darts.
In other darts, the aftward portion of the shaft-ending enlarged head can impact a taper formed cavity ending buttress, this to provide an angular distortion about the body or barrel""s axis; a conoid machined shaft that impacts a similarly shaped and obversely positioned conoid body thereaft during impact-induced axial travel, this to provide a non-axial motion when impact with the target""s dividers or impediments occurs, particularly in the segments that have the highest scoring value. But, it is known that the use of springs, with their subsequent loss of temper caused by the pico-second impact can and do lose this non-axial utility: both coil springs and metal strips which are constrained against lateral movement outside the axis of the load causes direct loss of that ability.
Also, due to the various construction methods, none of these approaches have the ability to ignore the effects of gravity, which may eliminate their effectiveness, because, when the point is retained in the target board, the body of the dart may be angled downwardly relative to the point, and this body may block subsequent darts thrown toward small areas of high score value.
One such example is the internal and forward use of a resilient cylinder with an axially formed bore receiver for receipt of a point shaft, with the aftward end thereof being rounded, with the resilient body simply push-inserted into a receiver cavity of the dart, and placement being arrested by the round end of the shaft against a buttress. There are no provisions against the elastomeric cylinder""s propensity to return to an unloaded state; distortion created by non-axial movement upon impact with a target would cause the cylinder to actually creep out of this position; and, this distortion would tear the bore therein.
Two other approaches employ either a wound spring on the depending shaft of the point, or a flight-carrying shaft; while showing some utility, neither recognizes that heat and/or non-axial loading will cause displacement or breakage of the point. The wound spring, like it""s rubberoid counterpart, will actually displace itself from the containment cavity upon lateral displacement. The cupped spring with curved end catchments for the flight shaft, or any half-dome with a central hole receiver for that shaft carrier, faces two considerations: any spring, beyond heat loss, will attempt to return to an unladed state, thereby becoming an impediment that could interfere with the trajectory of subsequent darts; whereas, the fully cupped spring, beyond the increased potential of resistance, actually embodies a buckle effect. In addition, a strip-type spring, like those above, limits the flight-carrying shaft to only two directions of movement, they being along the axis formed by the width thereof.
Regarding the weights and shapes of darts available, there have been more than one approach. One is an end-threaded shaft that connects the fore and aft ends of the barrel. Various axially-bored pieces of varying density are placed along the shaft to create varying weights and shapes. Stability is improved by an )-ring positioned appropriately.
Another employs a similar internal shaft, and has a variety of weight beads that are placed thereon by the user, prior to insertion into an internal cavity of the barrel, where stability is derived, again, by an appropriately positioned O-ring.
Yet another employs various media, in the hammer approach, that are sometimes separated so as to provide a differing method of weight distribution within the internal chamber of the dart.
Then another employs a simple and fixed addition to the internal chamber, from the aft end, the density of which changes relative to the desired weight; but, whose forwardly positioned end in the tapered receiving bore is employed as a buttress, it affecting the point""s reaction to impact with the impediments.
Additionally, another approach combines the annular receipt of an O-ring impinging a balled-ended shaft, with that ball impinging upon the forward end created by impact.
Then, there is the combination of a scoring shaft with a peened or formed head that rests on a ball bearing, with the latter imping on a cylindrical rubberoid member, this arrangement supposedly allowing incremental movement of the scoring member during impact; but, due to the inability of the rubberoid member to expand laterally during impact transition, this cylindrical member can explode, thereby limiting its impact control.
In all of the above approaches, while showing some utility, none consider the effect of having a forwardly formed cavity which affects the desired forwardly induced weight differentials. Additionally, because of the possibility of loosening, which can cause rattling and distraction, or the fact that the loss of any one piece can eliminate that dart from play, the utility of the prior are considered minimal at best. And, regarding guidance vanes or flights, there have been a variety of attachment variations: there is a polymer shaft, extending radially aftwardly from the central body, generally being threadably attached, and having forward molded receiver slots in an X-format, it receiving a press-insertion of the flights chosen by the player; or, obversely joined V""s, the vertice junction creating a slot for that flight member insertion. And, there have been specialized flight-carrying shafts that receive a tripodal vane rather than the four vanes more commonly used for the guidance of the thrown projectile, this approach limiting the impediments involved in trajectory interference.
Another approach, called SLICKSTICK, employs that shaft but has a slot that is end-bounded that, in turn, receives the xe2x80x9cXxe2x80x9d flight slipped laterally into and positioned at the aftward end of the slot prior to the player""s throw, this allowing forward but non-radial movement created from impact with any subsequently thrown dart. And, after the throw and removal from the target, must be manually moved to the backward station.
One of the first spinning flights, called DYNA-STAR, employs an aftwardly axial shaft that has an enlarged portion thereon for receipt of a pull-molded spline carrying the flights, that is slip-pressed onto and beyond a pinch created shoulder of that shaft carrier. This will allow radial movement created by an incoming projectile thrown in close proximity to an at-rest dart.
There are others that are also rotational about the dart axis; but, none recognize that by the time the impact induces any spinning movement, the dart is well past the point of collision therewith. In addition, spinning about that axis can be a detriment; none take into account that the darts thrown have multiple speeds and trajectories.
IN all of the prior art approaches noted, notwithstanding the displayed utility, the attempts have been to provide the player with a dart that will enhance their application of skills and growth in the game of darts. Yet, there are possible advances to the general application of dart design that will enable the particular user to create a more fully personalized involvement with this enjoyable game, thereby furthering the art of the game and the player""s approach towards serious enhancement of their skills.
The invention employs various embodiments of soft tip and steel tip darts. The darts can be personalized while maintaining the same overall external shape. The darts are designed to greatly reduce or eliminate rejection if the dart hits a divider or other impediment, as well as to have reduced interference with and deflection of subsequently thrown darts to target areas of high value.
This toy projectile is designed to be thrown at a polymer surface having a plethora of holes, in the electronic game; or at a bound sissal target for receiving the steel tip, in the traditional game. Both types of target usually have scoring areas delineated by radial and circumferential spokes (or xe2x80x9cspidersxe2x80x9d). An important design consideration for the soft tip dart is that the dart must depress a scoring segment, even if initial contact is with a spider; whereas, steel tip darts require that a thrown dart must remain in the board until removed by the player to score, as any dart that falls out during the turn does not count towards a score in that turn.
From my U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,041, against the models and copyright grants of 1994 and 1995 that employed either a cup-like formed rubberoid member mounted to an extended pintle-like shaft or spring surmounting a longer extended pintle shaft, the transition to a cylindrically formed rubber spring body occurred. It was this change, which allows expansion of the elastomeric cylinder within the cavity therefor.
This transition, when coupled to the various weight characteristics that could begin from a static or dynamic reference, created darts that were capable of extreme personalization; but, the outward shape that might employ a xe2x80x9cthumb-notchxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdish-outxe2x80x9d could modify the forwardly, central weight chamber into two factions that depend upon the placement thereof, and separate the forward segment from the afterward segment.
The forward segment, established by a pre-tap bore to a specified depth, receives an elastomeric cylinder that has a smaller diameter, thereby allowing lateral expansion created by impact with an impediment. A threadable forecap, having a slide bore receives a shaft with enlarged collar closely fitting said pre-tap bore prior to rotational closure of that ending barrel means; where, closure into the threaded receiver of the barrel end causes contact against the resilient compression member by that enlarged head. Thus, partially loaded by that closure, this silicone derivative of 40 Shore A to 70 Shore A contacts both that enlarged collar and the end buttress formed by a pre-tap bore. And while it is expected that thread-chine considerations would cause tensional closure that would be expected to eliminate loosening, an addition of the known prior art of an O-ring residing on the male thread portion of the end closure and meeting the barrel end would enhance the ability to prevent unwanted rattling at this or any use position. Impact induced forward movement of the completed dart, when the scoring portion of the dart intersects the known impediments (xe2x80x9cspidersxe2x80x9d) that divide the particular scoring areas into discrete parts, allows the much desired player advantage called xe2x80x9chunting-off-of-the-wirexe2x80x9d due to progressive loading of the compressional impact controller, thereby allowing a marginal throw to establish a score from the actions created by contiguous thrust considerations.
An alternative would employ the known carrier in a somewhat differing fashion, in that its internal placement abuts the inward radial stop of the forward barrel closure end in a somewhat larger bore, the carrier diameter being slidable therewithin; where, this mutual surface having a reciprocally subtending forwardly taper to facilitate the elimination of any possible wear that might accrue through distortion experienced while the various impact impediments place stress on the axial slide bore found in that forward endcap.
In an additional alternative, by using a much larger bore diameter, the axial bore is enhanced by a forwardly extended tapered bore from a juncture references along the noted reciprocal faces to a position that allows the shaft of the scoring member to become axial when at rest, yet allows both axial and non-axial movement of the completed dart when impacted by and subsequent throw to an area of small incidence, thereby enhancing the scoring capability for the player by reducing any possible resistance during impact with any subsequent arc-thrown projectile, plus, resetting the barrel along the axis after impact for any dart thrown.
In one case, using a concavely mirrored buttress wall axially separating an outwardly threaded portion and inwardly extending thinwall body, a vent bore therethrough, and employing a loc-tite insertion of the threaded portion into a staged bore receiver of the following chamber of the dart body, thereby creating one of multiple end closures for the weight chamber of an aftwardly positioned thumb-grip that is considered a fore weighted thrust biased dart; while, with the thumb notch being forward, the dart is considered as having aft weighted thrust bias. This would, in the first case, require an aftward opening of the weight chamber, whereas the second case would require a forwardly positioned chamber opening, with a simple transference of the body parts attributed to the position of use.
Using the example of the aftwardly placed thrust grip, the weight chamber is a bored tubular tungsten body, of 50/50 to 95/5 in weight distribution, and has a minimum of three internal diameters: the columnar use of an elastomeric cylinder abutting at least one cylindrical wall against a shaft with an enlarged head, said shaft residing in a slide bore of an end closure for a barrel; the use of a carrier with multiple bores receiving both the shaft and enlarged collar and capturing one end of the elastomeric cylinder, with continued use of the en-closing slide bore that is utilized for axial movement by the noted carrier. All three embodiments use external threads for the closure means, they by of a metalloid construction consistent with stress and impact considerations/and there are variations within these sets, as displayed in the drawings.
Again, using the noted aftward thrust reference, the flights carrying portion of this invention employs any or all of the forward positions that are applicable, particularly the axial locus of a shaft with enlarged collar working with a slide bore within a closure body and against an elastomeric cylinder abutting said collar and the cylindrical buttress formed by a pre-tap bore that receives a threadable closure, and, it is the radial clearance between the diameters of the bore and rubberoid body that allow radial expansion which facilitate dispersal of the note impact force; where, the enlarged shoulder is of close fitting means with said pre-tap bore, this to provide an aspect that limits any wear during axial motion in said slide bore by said shaft depending inwardly.
The weight inserts of this invention shall include another embodiment beyond the ability to slidably fill the accepting chamber: A thinwall tube with one opening, the obverse end possibly having reciprocal chamfers as ta centering means outboard of a cup receiver for the receipt of a stabilizing elastomeric cylinder, this body receiving tungsten particulate to a user determined level; a capturing plug body with extended flanges, and a hole therethrough, this having an annular slot on said flanges for receiving an O-ring that eliminates loss of the particulate powder; use of a shaft with enlarged collar intended to be positioned through that axial hole, the shaft having variously spaced annular slot receivers therealong, for use with a circlip that is preceded by an O-ring that prevents the loss of the powder; where, the overall length of this completed weight insert continues the duplex insertion capability, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,041, as the tension provided by the elastomeric cylinder inserted into the cup receiver provided adequate tension upon threadable closure of the chamber. And, while disclosed as an incremental loading of the fixed, an appropriately changed aspect hereto would be the usage of that elastomeric cylinder separating the loading aspects of this carrier, be they used prior to the insertion of a particulate charge or throughout the weight bias chamber, thereby establishing an axial lengthening of the conoid impact dispersal characteristics.
While the thumb-notch can be attached to either of the thrust value embodiments or others known in prior art, with one end being the threadable means of closure for the established weight chamber, it is very possible that designs considerations that pertain to the player""s requirements would determine that this thumb-notch can actually be a separate piece that threadably connects the fore and aft ends of the dart, thereby giving the user one more advantage towards exceptional personalization of their set of three darts.
Within the simplicity of this invention, which further expands its utility, is the utilization of the forwardly found characteristics in the aftward portion of the dart barrel which, in turn, enhances aspects of the flights carrying shaft through impact-induced movement that can be axial and then be considered axial and non-axial, thereby drastically reducing or eliminating any deflection caused by close proximal throws to areas of high scoring value. Again, the impact condition is a wave harmonic expressed herein as a conoid projection shown laterally about the elastomeric controller.
As stipulated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,041, this approach is being directed towards the deployment of a kit format. The kit would include the various external and internal components required to create a set of darts, from front to back, or be applied in various segmental ways to applicable prior art values; where, the choices hereto expand the original utility of xe2x80x9c3xc3x977(3)xc3x973xe2x80x9d to this: seven to the eighth power (5) to the seventh power, the value being defined by individual user preferences, thereby creating a personalization factor towards utility for this encompassing invention well beyond current prior ability.